Mark – The Facts.

When I am handed a script, I rarely follow it exactly as written. It is for two reasons. I have a bad memory for exactness and I have a tendency to put myself in the story so my own personality comes through. I can’t help it. For those reasons, I am not the best actor, but people laugh anyway.

In teaching, I “act” with another fellow teacher, telling a story of chemical change, or engineering, etc. We always have a story because stories invite the students into the topic and engage them. I occasionally go off script that causes my fellow “actor” in teaching to think fast on his feet. He does it well then throws me a unscripted line in exchange. We have a lot of fun teaching this way that engages students. Students talk about the “stories” long after they leave. When I see them later in public places, they always say, “Remember when you and Beaker…”

The Old Testament scripted the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus quoted the Scripture and then lived it daily, exactly the way it was prophesied and written ages before His coming to earth as a baby. The entire Bible is the script of God. The entire Word of God explains Who He is, What He does, How He works, How He loves and foretold How He would make a way for His sinful, selfish creation to come back to Him.

Jesus is now coming to the end of the beginning for all of us. “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:8) Jesus does not go off script. Praise God! His Son follows the script to the end. People around him follow the “script” exactly, without knowing or thinking about the Scripture.

Mark 14, The Message
A Gang of Ruffians
43-47 No sooner were the words out of his mouth when Judas, the one out of the Twelve, showed up, and with him a gang of ruffians, sent by the high priests, religion scholars, and leaders, brandishing swords and clubs. The betrayer had worked out a signal with them: “The one I kiss, that’s the one—seize him. Make sure he doesn’t get away.” He went straight to Jesus and said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. The others then grabbed him and roughed him up. One of the men standing there unsheathed his sword, swung, and came down on the Chief Priest’s servant, lopping off the man’s ear.

48-50 Jesus said to them, “What is this, coming after me with swords and clubs as if I were a dangerous criminal? Day after day I’ve been sitting in the Temple teaching, and you never so much as lifted a hand against me. What you in fact have done is confirm the prophetic writings.” All the disciples cut and ran.

What do we learn?
–Scripture foretold this event: “Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the LORD Almighty. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.” Zechariah 13:7 NIV
–Jesus did not leave the script, His mission to seek and to save the lost (us).
–Live gratefully for the One who loves us most and died to save us from ourselves.
–Follow the Script of Life to the full!

In Jesus Name, Amen! I believe!